CalWORKs

Dad hugging son

 

 

The California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program is the California version of the Federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program (TANF). CalWORKs is a public assistance program that provides cash aid to needy families with children. The program serves all 58 counties in the state and is operated locally by county welfare departments.

If a family has little or no cash and needs housing, food, utilities, clothing, or medical care, they may be eligible to receive immediate short-term help. Families that apply and qualify for ongoing assistance receive money each month to help pay for housing, food and other necessary expenses.

The amount of a family’s monthly assistance payment is determined by the number of people who are eligible and the special needs of any of those family members. The income of the family is considered in calculating the amount of cash aid the family receives.

There are other programs and benefits, such as Homeless Assistance, for which a family may qualify by being on CalWORKs.

CalWORKs recipients are automatically eligible for Medi-Cal and may qualify for CalFresh benefits. Adults in the program are required to participate in a work activity unless determined exempt.

Please see the "What if I do not qualify for CalWORKs" section below for information on additional Cash Aid Programs such as Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program (TCVAP) and Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI).


How to Apply:

Online: The easiest way to apply is online at BenefitsCal.com
In-Person: Visit our office for personal assistance or to apply directly.
333 E Washington Street 
Stockton, CA 95202-3200
 Monday - Friday 8am to 5pm
Closed Saturday and Sunday
Telephone: (209) 468-1000

 

CalWORKs Requirements

Generally, services are available to families that have an age eligible child(ren) in the home or are pregnant and deprived due to one or both parents being:

  • Deceased,
  • Absent,
  • Physically or mentally incapacitated or,
  • Unemployed

Other Conditions of Eligibility

  • Resident in California and intend to stay.
  • Provide verification of income.
  • Have less than $12,137 in resources ($18,206 for a family which includes a person age 60 years or older or a disabled member).
  • Provide proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful immigrant status.
  • Have Social Security Number verification or proof of application for all family members.
  • Proof of immunization for all children under the age of six.
  • All children ages 6 through 17 must be attending school. Eighteen-year-olds must be in high school or vocational-technical school full time and expect to complete school before the age of 19.
  • Additional facts or verifications may be required.

Ways to Apply

Online
www.benefitscal.com

In Person
333 E. Washington Street
Stockton, CA 95202
 Monday - Friday 8am to 5pm
Closed Saturday and Sunday

By Phone
(209) 468-1000

Renewing/Continuing CalWORKs Benefits

Once a customer starts to receive CalWORKs, the customer must keep the Eligibility Worker (EW) informed about changes in order to:

  • Ensure CalWORKs benefits are correct
  • Make the EW aware of other needs that can be met through the CalWORKs program
  • Make sure CalWORKs Notices of Action, and other correspondence are sent to the correct address

All CalWORKs recipients, with the exception of Annual Reporting Child Only (AR/CO) recipients, are required to submit a Semi-Annual Eligibility Status Report (SAR 7) once per year (due in the sixth month of the first semi-annual period) followed by the re-certification of eligibility in the sixth month of the second semi-annual period. Your Eligibility Worker will inform you if you are an AR/CO recipient and what the reporting requirements are for that program.

What if I do not qualify for CalWORKs?

See other programs below that you may qualify for instead of CalWORKs:

RCA (Refugee Cash Assistance)

RCA is cash aid program for single adults and families in immigrant groups that aren't eligible for other cash aid programs. This includes refugees. This also includes people who are seeking or have been granted asylum. RCA also helps with employment and other social services to help recipients in becoming self-sufficient.

Click the following link to apply and learn more https://benefitscal.com/

TCVAP (Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program)

TCVAP is for victims of human trafficking who haven't been certified by the Office of Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) yet. It's also for victims of domestic violence and other serious crimes.

Click the following link to apply and learn more https://benefitscal.com/

CAPI (Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants)

CAPI is a 100 percent state-funded program designed to provide monthly cash benefits to aged, blind, or disabled non-citizens who are ineligible for SSI/SSP solely due to their immigration status. The Welfare Reform Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-193) eliminated Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) eligibility for most non-citizens. As a result, most immigrants who were not receiving SSI/SSP in August 1996 are no longer eligible for SSI/SSP.

Click here to learn more and apply https://www.cdss.ca.gov/capi

Are there time limits for receiving cash assistance?

Adults under the CalWORKs program are limited to receiving cash benefits for a lifetime cumulative period of 60 months.

How much cash assistance can be received?

The amount of cash assistance a family receives varies by the number of family members and income.

What are CalWORKs Recipients’ Responsibilities?

Recipients must inform their worker about specific changes that might affect their benefits within 10 days. The worker will explain the Rights and Responsibilities on what must be reported. Correct and timely reporting is important because the recipient must pay back benefits if too much is issued.
Recipients must submit a Semi-Annual/Eligibility Status Report (SAR 7) once per year (due in the sixth month of the first semi-annual period) followed by the re-evaluation of eligibility in the sixth month of the second semi-annual period.
The Welfare-To-Work program can help recipients get the skills needed to get a job. Recipients will be asked to attend an Orientation that will give information regarding the responsibilities in finding a job.

What is EBT?

EBT is a benefit issuance system, using a debit-type card.
"Golden State Advantage Card” is the name of the EBT card that the client will use. Each client will have their own card and will use it via their own Personal Identification Number (PIN).
The EBT card can be used just like a debit card at ATMs and Point-of-Sale (POS) devices.
The client has separate accounts for CalFresh and for cash and they are both on the same card.
If a client does not use all of their benefits in a given month, the balances will "roll over" to the next month. The EBT card can be used outside of San Joaquin County.